Nobody likes being faced with adverse situations, but we have to deal with them one way or the other. Whatever way you decide, don’t let the hardships bring you down.

The kind of outcome depends on which route you take to dealing with your adversity. Make sure that no decision of yours leans toward the negative.

Here are the four common mistakes people make during an onset of adversity—mistakes which you need to avoid:

1. Reacting Badly

Do you victimize yourself, or say no to dejection? Do you let your frustration out on someone else, or seek support in a positive way?

Avoid giving in to the temptation of an agitated mind.

Never take action when you are emotional. Give yourself some time to calm down enough to shift your perspective away from the negative. Once you realize that things aren’t as bad as they seem, you can react much more sensibly.

2. Making Excuses

The strike of adversity is not a cue to create a litany of complaints and what-ifs. All that time you waste delving on every reason things didn’t work out is a recipe for stagnancy.

Instead, let go, accept that you are currently in a fix, and that all that matters is for you to move on.

3. Staying Unhappy

You can mourn your misfortunes for a while. Discontent is only natural when you face adversity. However, avoid letting yourself get trapped in a loop of negative emotion. Think of your adversity as the hard-to-digest chapter of a promising book. Find your silver lining. Don’t let one bad situation suck the happiness out of your life.

4. Marching Solo

You will be tempted to let your pride keep you from seeking and accepting help from others. Help can come in the form of support as well as criticism—and you need both.

You have your family, your friends, your peers, and your mentors around you to give you some much-needed advice and aid during an onslaught of adversity. Learn to accept the solace.

No form of adversity lasts forever, not if your approach to dealing with it is a strong one. There are many personalities who have dealt with life-changing challenges in the past. Scott Burrows’ own history of overcoming adversity is a powerful example for professionals; the speaker’s reputation is based on his far-reaching influence through his corporate keynotes on developing grit.

Learn to accept your setbacks as opportunities for growth. Once you do, you will start to view your life as something that is working with you to transform you for the better.

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